Desperately Seeking Sasquatch in Skamania County

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

“Whereas, there is evidence to indicate the possible existence in Skamania County of a nocturnal primate mammal variously described as an ape-like creature or a sub-species of Homo Sapiens…any willful and wanton slaying of any such creature shall be deemed a felony…”

Courtesy of Bigfoot Bash and Bounty

With those words, the Skamania County Board of Commissioners created the world’s first Sasquatch preserve in 1969. Today’s Skamanians hold up the tradition of tolerance and respect for the Northwest’s most elusive resident. No matter what you call them, bigfoots, yetis, sasquatches, they (and don’t think for a second that there’s only one of them) would find a warm welcome at the Bigfoot Bash and Bounty held every year near Stevenson, Washington.

Courtest of Bigfoot Bash and Bounty

The bash, held in park only feet from the Colombia River, is everything you could want in a small-town festival. Kids could enjoy a hunt for Bigfoot in the woods while their parents could further their ape-man education by attending one of the lectures offered by yeti experts. Naturally these talks were my favorite as one of the many Northwesterners Desperately Seeking Sasquatch.

Courtesy of Bigfoot Bash and Bounty

Among the skunk-ape luminaries was Thom Powell, whose book The Locals continues to stand as the foremost primer on Sasquatch studies. According to Mr. Powell, modern research has moved away from simply trying to prove the existence of these beasts towards attempting to understand Bigfoot biology.

Whether you’re a true believer or just curious, the Bigfoot Bash and Bounty has something to offer both the amateur and fanatical Sasquatch searcher.